Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 204% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Chengdu is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.93

$2.90 ¥19.46

496.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.6

$20.18 ¥135

213.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.83

$5.18 ¥34.79

119.88%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.94 ¥19.70

8.50%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.48 ¥3.19

410.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.28 ¥1.89

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.10

$1.46 ¥9.78

145.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$2.50 ¥16.75

35.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.76 ¥11.82

-29.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.64 ¥11.00

20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.94 ¥6.32

61.70%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.49

$1.54 ¥10.30

162.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.68

$14.19 ¥95.2

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.24

$3.51 ¥23.54

139.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.75

$11.04 ¥74.1

65.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.82 ¥12.21

25.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.26 ¥8.47

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.06 ¥7.11

75.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.25 ¥8.39

110.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.69 ¥4.64

178.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$0.72 ¥4.84

190.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.73 ¥4.91

97.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.59 ¥3.93

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.85

$3.63 ¥24.33

86.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$5.47 ¥36.67

4.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$0.79 ¥5.29

74.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.53 ¥10.27

45.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.07

$0.43 ¥2.91

458.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

$24.95 ¥167

87.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.60

$1.32 ¥8.82

215.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.29 ¥1.94

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.26

$4.38 ¥29.37

303.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.23 ¥8.22

88.62%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.3K €30.5K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

82.44%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.4K €35.8K

$17.4K ¥116.9K

137.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$170 €147

$41.04 ¥275

315.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.34 €16.69

$9.46 ¥63.5

104.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €29.03

$12.83 ¥86.1

162.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

$27.45 ¥184

75.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

$11.02 ¥74.0

80.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.56

$6.02 ¥40.40

64.78%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$717 €619

$410 ¥2,751

74.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.1K

$14.8K ¥99.1K

18.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.4

$28.78 ¥193

264.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.51

$29.21 ¥196

60.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.2

$60.8 ¥408

70.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$52.7 ¥353

135.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,447

$486 ¥3,264

244.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

$256 ¥1,716

396.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

$849 ¥5,699

251.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

$545 ¥3,660

265.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

$3,813 ¥25.6K

105.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

$1,909 ¥12.8K

143.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,366

$1,284 ¥8,614

23.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.38

12.13%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $486 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $196 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon, $763 in Chengdu – roughly 204% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,316 in Lisbon and $763 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $763 in Chengdu to $2,316 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.